Destined [JIKOOK]

All Rise For The King

Jimin

"And do you here forth solemnly swear to uphold the laws, customs, and traditions of the Kingdom of West Busan?"

I watched, throat tight, as Crowned Prince Jin took a deep breath and nodded.  "I do."

Jungkook should be here, I thought miserably.  I had spent the entire ceremony fighting back tears.  He would have been so proud and so supportive in this moment and we were all feeling his absence.  Meanwhile, the love of my life lay in peaceful slumber against the soft linens of his bed in his chambers. 

Please wake up, my Jungkookie.

"Cheer up, Jimin," Yoongi whispered, elbowing me in the ribs softly to get my attention.  "A king is being born and you're mind is preoccupied with a sleeping prince."

"How am I supposed to focus on anything else?  I'm happy for Crowned Prince Jin, but Jungkook should have been able to be here.  He should have gotten to witness his brother's ascension to the throne.  And it's all my fault that he's not," I whispered back, hot tears beginning to drip onto my cheeks.

"Stop that.  It isn't your fault that his father stabbed him," Yoongi insisted quietly.

"Yes it is," I scoffed.  "He wouldn't have gotten stabbed if he wasn't trying to protect me.  Or if I hadn't convinced him we didn't need weapons to face his father.  Or if-"

"Enough!" Yoongi hissed.  "No more 'ifs.'  Do you think Prince Jungkook would be happy to see you beating yourself up like this?"

Tears streamed down my face now as I turned to him with what must have been a haunted expression judging by his reaction.  "He can't see me like this though.  Because he's at the edge of death and he may never come back from it.  And no matter what you say it is my fault.  It's something I can never make amends for as long as I live."

"Sto-"  Yoongi's argument was cut off by the ceremony coming to a close.

"I now present to you, King Kim Seokjin of West Busan!  All rise for the king!"

We all stood.  Cheers and clapping erupted at the conclusion of the coronation of Crowned Prince Jin, now King Jin.  He was very beloved amongst his kingdom and today it showed.  The new king smiled serenely and politely as he walked the aisle to exit the throne room, but it didn't reach his eyes.  In those dark brown eyes laid the sorrow for the brother who was missing and the worry for what would come of him.

It made my tears flow harder to see my own suffering mirrored back to me.  King Jin spared me a weak, sympathetic smile as he passed and I felt myself crumble.  As soon as it was possible to politely leave the throne room, I hastily made my way to Jungkook's chambers.

Once inside, I threw myself next to him on his bed and snuggled into his warmth.  That and his peaceful breathing were the only two things that assured me in my darkest moments that he was, in fact, still alive.  He was still with me.

Taking his wrists into my hands, I wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled into his chest where his shirt remained unbuttoned.  My hands gripped him tightly, rubbing circles into the soft skin there.

"Please come back, Kookie.  Please," I whispered into the silence.  Letting myself pretend he was simply asleep, holding me as he rested, I sobbed into the silk of his nightwear. 

And that's how I fell asleep.  Holding a man who might never wake up, pretending that he was still there to love me.

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A/N: Oof.  This one was rough.  Side note, kind of half sang "Stay Alive" in my head as I was writing this, so if you want to listen to that while reading this chapter, you'll be right in my mindset.

Also, my schedule is clearing up a bit now, so I can finally write!  Which means this story will finally end!  It's getting close to it now.  I can't say for sure how many chapters are left, but there's definitely not a ton.

Anyway, back to the story!

Only a few questions left unanswered now!

What's been going on with Taehyung and Lisa?

Will Jungkook wake up?

What will happen if he does?  Will Jimin ever know the big secret? Will he remember his life?  Will he not wake up at all?  Am I really that heartless to my #1 bias??

Now that Jin's king, what happens with him and Namjoon?  Will either of them take a wife?  Will they continue the royal bloodline?

What about Sope?  Are they going to figure out how they'll stay together?  Will they stay together?

Will I ever shut up with these super long Author Notes?  The answer to that one is no.  Sorry guys!

Anyway, find out all this and more next time, Lovely Armies!